Last week Shirley was in Caregiver Laurie's absolute favorite spot in all of Sanctuary. It's off the beaten path in Cedar Valley and there is a little pond that glimmers in the sunlight, tucked behind the century old cedars. The Caregivers call it Hidden Pond. Laurie explained, "I didn't catch Shirley swimming in it this time, but I know she will get all the way in and enjoy a full body dip, which is so wonderful for her old bones and joints." Apparently, it's her favorite pond to swim in and Shirley loves to suspend her bulk in the water and just float. Laurie added, "I took the photos of Tarra the same evening, she was in Oak Tree Pasture, eating her dinner, with her happy ears flapping away :)"

Tarra and her happy, flappy ears.

Over at Q

Late last week, a cold front blew through Middle Tennessee, and the Q Girls were feeling very frisky and adventurous as a result of the cooler temperatures. Debbie and Ronnie ventured far into the woods in their habitat, to an area that they don't normally frequent. Many of you have written in, concerned about Minnie being separated from Debbie and Ronnie. Mighty Minnie can get aggressive with Debbie, and you'll remember last summer we were working to reduce those behaviors. There were some breakthroughs over the Summer, including sleepovers for the trio (See the October 12, 2011 Ele-Diary entry - scroll down for proper date), but during this past Winter when Debbie wanted to return to the barn on colder nights, Minnie would frequently block Debbie's entry, making it necessary to separate them during the Wintertime. Debbie and Ronnie are currently being trained by their Caregivers to accept TB treatments which requires that they come back to the barn on a daily basis. For the time being, Minnie remains in her adjacent habitat. The three girls can and do frequently socialize through the fence, giving each other trunk hugs and entwines, but this way we can ensure Debbie and Ronnie are able to return to the barn when needed to receive the treatments so important for their health.

At Africa

Tange and Flora have some new trails to explore in Africa.

Caregiver Kristy did some enrichment for Tange and Flora on Friday. She placed some puzzle feeder toys with treats out in the habitat. "They were stuffed with watermelon (their favorite!) and other delicacies including squash, zucchini, and Nappa cabbage. The Girls loved their refreshing summer treat! They seemed to really enjoy the extra snacks." Joe and the Facilities crew have been very busy – they made some additions to the PC training wall in Africa and also developed some new trails through Africa. With the new shady paths complete, Flora and Tange have access to even more areas of their habitat, and we're sure they will waste no time in exploring them!